Prosecutors say a 26-year-old Brighton man took advantage of two teenage girls he is accused of sexually assaulting.

His lawyers say neither sister reported the incidents until months had passed and never told Erick Kraus, now 28, to stop what he was doing.

Kraus is charged with two counts of criminal sexual conduct, one involving a child under the age of 13 and the other involving a child under the age of 16.

One of the reported victims in the case testified Monday during a bench trial that Kraus grasped her thighs, moving towards her inner thigh and squeezed her buttocks on several occasions. At one point she testified he moved his hand under her underwear and cupped her buttocks.

Livingston County Assistant Prosecutor Michael Taylor told a jury Monday that both reported victims met Kraus through their involvement in dance, something they no longer participate in after the reported incidents.

"Once you hear the testimony that it happened, you will see that it was for a sexual purpose and that it was on a person too young to consent," Taylor said.

Kraus' defense attorney Clarence Dass questioned one of the girls about her interaction with Kraus during the time the incidents occurred and asked the jury to fact check the witnesses.

"Our job as Americans is to fact check. As we know from our political ads not every allegation is true," Dass said.

He asked why she and the other girl continued to socialize with Kraus despite what they allege happened. She said it was because "he was a family friend" and she did not know how to handle the situation.

The girl also said she was afraid of how her parents would react if she told them what happened.

"I was afraid they wouldn't believe me," she said.

The Livingston Daily does not typically identify reported victims of sexual assault.

The trial is expected to last until Wednesday in Livingston County Circuit Court Judge Michael Hatty's courtroom.